Balai Isabel is named after the only daughter of Nelson Terrible, president and CEO of Techno-Asia Construction & Development, the resort’s developer. Opened in April 2007, Terrible says they originally had no plans of opening a resort, since his company specializes in inner city residential developments. But after big name companies like Pepsi Co and HSBC approached him looking for a suitable venue for corporate events and team buildings, developing Balai Isabel into a residential resort property seemed like the natural thing to do.

The resort now has several residential units, as well as rooms available for those looking for a short but relaxing stay. There is also a clubhouse (catered by Makati Skyline), an infinity pool, a wellness center, convention hall, recreation center with a videoke machine, billiards, game room, and Internet shop and lots more. But a definite prize amenity of the Balai Isabel resort is the Mobi-Deep, a multi-function floating bar and pool right on Taal Lake. Chill out and enjoy an unparalleled view of the majestic volcano, while your friends play around in one of the five pools with depths varying from 3 to 21 feet. Invented by a Frenchman, it’s the first of its kind in the Philippines, and is reason enough to spend an unhurried and restful weekend. Whether you’re sampling fresh-off-the-net tawilis or gliding over the waters of the lake on-board a canoe or catamaran the Balai Isabel experience is a unique and as memorable as the enchanting Taal Volcano and Lake.

But if you don’t make it to the Luwa, don’t despair. Taal is just a few hours from Manila. Time your visit on a clear day and start your trip with a trek up Taal Volcano.

Batangas is located some 110 kilometers south of Metro Manila, or about two to three hours travel time from the capital city. It’s part of Luzon and bordered to the north by the province of Cavite and Laguna, to the south by Verde Island passage, to the east by the provinces of Quezon,a nd again, Laguna. Its west faces the South China Sea. Its 316,580-hectare land is of rolling terrain while the rest is mountainous and hilly.

Book Club Balai Isabel, on the shores of lake Taal in Talisay town, if you’d like a view of Taal lake and volcano. The resort is furnished with Philippine hardwood furniture, colored Moroccan-style lamps with ornate metal work and stained glass panels, and surrounded by fruit trees and pocket gardens. It has an infinity pool and a spa suite offering reflexology treatment. Published room rates start at P2,800 (about US$62) for the casitas to P16,800 per night for the four-bedroom lakeshore villa.

If you like it intimate and cozy, there’s the seven-room Casa Cecilia Heritage Hotel with its Spanish-Mediterranean architecture and a patio overlooking a garden gazebo, a popular place for weddings. A room here costs P2,200 per night with free breakfast for two.

For budget travelers there’s Casa Punzalan, an 18th-century ancestral home converted into a lodging house run by the Taal Heritage Foundation. It has four-post beds, a wide staircase, and expansive views of Taal Basilica Each of the lodge’s three fan rooms can take in two guests and costs P500 per night. Two air-con rooms are also available for P800 and P1,000 for double occupancy.

Located along the highway in Brgy. Butong is Little Bridge Resort, a 2.5-hectare property that houses 22 air-conditioned hotel rooms, six air-conditioned cabanas, an apartment with three fan rooms, 20 kiosks and mini open-air cottages. Hotel and cabana units average from P3,000-P3,500 per night. It has a five-lane swimming pool and a children’s pool.

The province’s main attraction, Taal Lake, is a freshwater lake located within a cauldron formed by Taal Volcano’s eruptions. At the lake’s center is Volcano Island, where the active Taal Volcano sits. In the distance is the ghostly outline of Mount Maculot.

You can get to Volcano Island from Talisay located in the north central area of Batangas by boat in about 30 minutes. From the island, the only way to get to the upper rim of the volcanic crater is by horseback. The ride takes about 30 minutes, accompanied by a guide who rides with you and holds the reins. You can also walk up the crater, but this takes about an hour.

Tho volcano’s previous eruptions have created a lake within its crater, which is what most tourists come to see on the island. Wisps of smoke coming out of the slope remind us that Taal is still an active volcano. The horseback back from the crater’s rim to flat land takes 20 minutes. All residents in the island maintain houses in the lakeshore towns, where they scurry to cover whenever the alert level is up.

From the sleepy town of Talisay on the northern end of the province, a scenic drive going halfway around Taal Lake will take you to the town of Taal on the southern side. The uphill climb towards Tagaytay and downhill cruise in the general direction of Lemery in Batangas show various angles of the volcano.

The Boutique, Tagaytay is a two-storey hotel that aims to pamper their guests through creative service. The staff prepares an all-day breakfast menu to be served in bed for two. A selection of body treats from the homemade Pamper Me line to the pillow menu that includes goose down and microfiber pillows are made available for your comfort. King-size beds with soft feather covers and white percale in 300 thread count linens are all set up for a sound sleep. Wi-fi internet access, wall-mounted LCD TVs, iPod-ready speakers and docks, and movies from the DVD library are all ready to be used for your delight.

Not to mention the exhilarating view of Taal Volcano, the fresh and cool weather of Tagaytay, the peaceful environment of the city, and heartwarming smiles and helping hands of the keepers — all these help to make your stay in The Boutique a truly unforgettable one.

What makes The Boutique unique are the seven cozy rooms which all have interesting names. I Lust is the presidential suite with a private terrace and separate bath. I Dare, I Desire, and I Dream are located at the second floor and all have their own terraces. On the ground, are I Love, I Surrender, and I Escape with the first two having their own patios.

Aside from the all-day-breakfast-in-bed service, you will also enjoy the dining at The Boutique‘s The Original Hawaiian Bar-B-Que Tagaytay. Get started with mouthwatering appetizers like Island Style Shrimp in Coconut (crispy shrimp in fresh coconut shreds, served with The Boutique‘s own pink guava sauce), Garlic Mussels in a Bamboo Trunk (marinated fresh mussels grilled in a bamboo trunk and served on a sizzling plate), and Taal’s Own (spicy, deep-fried tawilis).

As for the specialties, The Boutique Tagaytay boasts of their BBQ platter, a hearty combo of 2 large shrimp and 2 skewers each of pork, chicken, and fish barbeque, pork belly, barbeque mussels, and grilled pineapple and oranges. Another sumptuous meal is the South Pacific Fish BBQ, char-grilled blue marlin marinated in blend of lemon, tarragon, and rosemary. Also check out their Waikiki Honey Mustard Ribs, Sun-Ripened Mango Chicken BBQ, Lualla Ribs, The Island’s Best BBQ Beef Ribs, Lychee Pork BBQ and many others.

Among the island favorites, try the Hawaiian style of Bulalo Steak — marinated in secret Hawaiian spices and roasted overnight. The Boutique hotel has its own version of Hawaii 5-O. This is a whole chicken marinated overnight in an earthen jar and slow-grilled to perfection. Other courses include Simply Chicken Coco, the Chef favorite; Loco Moco, a local island classic where two fried eggs are piled on top of two hamburgers, all smothered in brown gravy; and don’t forget their Kalla’s Roasted Pork Belly and Lakaina’s Famous Beef Stew.

The Boutique Bed and Breakfast is located at 45 Aguinaldi Hi-Way, Silang Crossing East, Tagaytay City 4120.

One of the more noteworthy houses in the city, which has recently been rented as a very private bed and breakfast, is Meteora, one of the weekend residences of Dr. Joven Cunanang.

Built in 1999 to mark a personal milestone, the house is a nostalgic reminder of his travels to the Greek islands, particularly to its namesake, the religious enclave located more than 400 km from Athens.

Meteora was recently turned over to Sonya Garcia of Sonya’s Garden as a unique bed and breakfast. Guests can check in  and have their complimentary lunch or dinner at Sonya’s in Tagaytay, enjoy a pampering massage, then proceed to Meteora.

Overlooking the lake at Ligaya Drive, the road that leads to Talisay, is a quiet and unassuming house that you most likely drive past without a second look. For one thing, the Meteora house in Tagaytay is hardly visible from the street. All that one sees is a plain, weathered wooden gate, a white dome, a garage, and plenty of agave plants.

The structures (for there are two) are both whitewashed, with the roof deck of the main house serving as the vantage point for enjoying an unimpeded view of the lake, Mounts Makiling and Banahaw, and the surrounding countryside. Stone steps lead down to the second, then the ground floor — each step a piece of San Esteban stone sourced from Ilocos Sur — the paving material used for most of the horizontal surfaces in the residence.

Only the deep red of the bougainvillea flowers, and the yellow of the hibiscus, serve as counterpoints to the immaculate walls and steps. Agave plants and other succulents provide refreshing touches of green against the pale to dark blue of the ever-changing sky.

The spartan, almost monastic quality of the place is enhanced by the minimal treatment — in lieu of furniture, cement and stone are formed into sofas and beds — seemingly carved out of the rock, with foam mattresses covered in the distinctive white on white of the classic designs of the Ilocano abel fabric. A fireplace in the main living area provides warmth during the colder days of the year, while glass panels open up to relieve the mugginess of sultry summer days.

Wooden windows from Ilocos houses serve as shade — protection fro the harsh glare of the morning sun, as the house faces the lake and mountains in the east.

The second floor of the Meteora in Tagaytay is made from solid timber floorboards. The doctor calls the Meteora home a fusion of classic Greek proportions and the plain stark beauty that is the hallmark of Ilocano architecture. Even the doors of the two bedrooms, and the closets, are recycled from Ilocos ancestral homes.

Mosquito netting is used a window treatment — a pleasant remind of how the nearby town of Taal was once a major source of fine kulambo or mosquito nets. Hand-embroidered cutton duvet and pillow covers are the common denominator with the English country signature look of Sonya’s Garden.

Most of the art works inside the house are sculptures — works of Salvador Alonday, who molds modern materials like resin, Epoxy, and cement into beautiful sculptural pieces, using traditional casting methods.

A graceful Mater Dolorosa has exquisite craquelure, while a life-sized “Sabel” stands guard by the fireplace — the only one authorized by National Artist Bencab. The house is a virtual museum of Alonday sculptures, with a piece in almost every room, including the veranda.

A large mural by Tony Leano serves as backdrop to the dining table, while an even more monumental work by Jose Santos III is a commanding presence at the second floor landing beside the master’s bedroom. Memorabilia from the doctor’s travels to Greece, Turkey, and Morocco mix well with a small collection of Ilocos furniture and decorative items.

The Meteora home in Tagaytay was built to commemorate the doctor’s 60th birthday, an important event, as it marks one’s return to his year of birth, a completion of the five 12-year cycles of oriental zodiac. It is an event that celebrates an end, but likewise signifies fullness of years and maturity.